Seahawks edge Bengals despite Dalton's big day

Russell Wilson hit Tyler Lockett with a 44-yard touchdown pass on the first play of the fourth quarter and the Seattle Seahawks held on to defeat the visiting Cincinnati Bengals 21-20 Sunday.

Cincinnati's Andy Dalton completed 35 of 51 passes for 418 yards, a franchise record for a season opener, with two touchdowns. But the Bengals weren't able to get past midfield in their last two possessions.

Wilson completed 14 of 20 passes for 196 yards and two touchdowns as the Seahawks won despite being outgained 429 yards to 233 in total yardage

Chris Carson rushed for just 46 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries, but had a 21-yard carry on a third-and-1 from Seattle's own 15-yard line with 3:13 remaining to help the Seahawks milk the clock. Carson also caught six passes for 35 yards and a score.

The Bengals had the ball at their own 31 with 14 seconds left, but Dalton was hit and fumbled with nine seconds to go. The Seahawks recovered to clinch the victory.

After the Seahawks took a 21-17 lead on Lockett's score, the Bengals drove to the Seattle 4-yard line. A holding call pushed them back and they had to settle for Randy Bullock's 27-yard field goal with seven minutes left to cut their deficit to a point.

The Bengals took a 17-14 halftime lead on Dalton's 55-yard scoring strike to John Ross III with seven seconds left in the second quarter. Ross, a former University of Washington standout, won a jump ball with Seahawks safety Tedric Thompson at the 12-yard line and galloped into the end zone. That capped a four-play, 75-yard drive that took 45 seconds.

The Seahawks had taken the lead with 52 seconds left in the half on a 10-yard screen pass from Wilson to Carson. Four Bengals defenders got a hand on Carson on his way to the end zone, but he was able to reach the ball over the pylon for the score.

It was the second touchdown for both Ross and Carson in the second quarter, after Bullock's 39-yard field goal gave Cincinnati a 3-0 lead on the only score of the first.

Carson scored on a 1-yard run to give the Seahawks a 7-3 lead, but the Bengals responded with a three-play, 75-yard drive with Dalton finding Ross for a 33-yard score on a flea flicker.